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Currents To Medical Center Employees: In a recent Currents newsletter, I mentioned that our Disproportionate Share  Funding (DSH) is in jeopardy this year. While the Medical Center budgeted for $37 million in DSH funds for this fiscal year, to date we have received zero.  A recent meeting with the head of the state Department of Health and Human Services did not shed any light on the outlook for future funding, but we believe that under the best circumstances, the Medical Center will be facing a DSH budget reduction of around $5 million this year. To address our budgetary situation, we are challenged to focus on all opportunities to improve productivity and reduce costs while continuing to provide high quality care. For instance, a recent analysis of our staffing levels indicates that we often staff for maximum work load levels for a 24 hour period.  We need to focus on areas where the work load varies and to staff accordingly. I urge the management team to be creative in controlling costs is every aspect of our operations. On another matter, in May of 2002 we kicked off a leadership development and customer service training program. Among other things, our goal was to use this program as a mechanism to focus on enhancing patient satisfaction and employee morale. A training needs assessment will be conducted to determine additional areas needing attention and to strengthen the training program. To date, approximately 1,200 employees have participated in the training program, and it has been well received. More employees will have the opportunity to participate in this training program throughout the year.  Finally, Medical Center’s tuition assistance policy soon will be revised. The goal will be to simplify our policy by combining two existing plans, including the “old” state plan and the nursing plan. We also have worked with tax counsel to fully address when taxes may or may not be excluded from the reimbursement to avoid any potential tax liability problems. Thank you very much. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center   Blood donations decrease in last few weeks After the holidays, blood donations were looking good, Annie Lovering told those gathered for the weekly hospital communications meeting Tuesday, but “last week and this week have been looking very bleak. We need more donors!” She said the Red Cross donor room is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for blood donations. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 792-0219. Lovering listed point totals for the blood donation teams and relayed a touching story of a couple who came to the donation room to help resupply the blood currently being  given to one of their newborn triplets in the Neonatal ICU. “It was touching to have these parents insisting that they give blood when their baby was going to surgery the next day. So I put their donations on the NICUtologous and the Crits team.”  MUSC Family Night with the Lowgators The work unit or group that purchases the most tickets for MUSC Family Night (MUSC/MUHA/UMA/CFC employees, residents, students and volunteers) with the Lowgators will have a chance at winning a pizza party for that work area or group. Student groups are also included, said Katy Kuder of Medical Center Human Resources.  To qualify, the department or unit must purchase a minimum of 15 tickets. Ticket orders must include the department or group name represented. In the event of a tie, a drawing will determine the winner.  “We are trying to encourage staff partici-pation at this community event,” Kuder said, “because for every ticket purchased, the Lowgators will donate $1 back to the Children’s Hospital.” She said the game will be televised on NBA satellite TV and is “a good opportunity to promote the Children’s Hospital facility and to show how the staff and students support the Best Children’s Hospital in the Southeast.”  Family Night is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in the North Charleston Coliseum. The Lowgators will play Fayetteville. Discount tickets: $7.50 adults and $6 children. “The game promises to be exciting with on-court activities from hospital employees. Sponge Bob Square Pants will be there, too,” Kuder said. “Let the kids come out and see Sponge Bob in person.”  Tickets will be on sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 17, in the Rutledge Tower Lobby. Order forms may also be picked up at the Medical Center Human Resources office, room 109 Clinical Science Building. Only advanced tickets qualify for the Children’s Hospital donation. For information, call 792-0858.  Compliance Training  The compliance training deadline for MUHA employees and agents for the 2004 fiscal year is April 1, said Reece Smith. She reminded managers that they need to go into CATTS to make sure their employees have completed this training. Smith said she will be e-mailing to all managers an attestation  that they will be required to sign, ensuring that all employees and agents in their area have completed their training.        Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.